Arsenal legend Martin Keown has insisted that Theo Walcott is trying to prove a point that he can play as a striker at the club.

The England international is out of contract with the Gunners in the summer, yet netted a superb hat-trick on Saturday as the North Londoners beat Newcastle United 7-3 at the Emirates Stadium.

However, Keown believes that the 23-year-old is playing for a new deal, and has compared Walcott to the club's all-time leading goalscorer Thierry Henry.

"When Thierry Henry was in the zone, he was driven, there was a real fierce determination about him," Keown told the Daily Mail. "You could see it in his eyes. And I think that is coming into Theo Walcott's make-up now.

"At the moment, the reason for this is that he wants to prove he deserves to stay at the club. But when that is taken care of, he needs to carry on producing.

"Walcott needs to want it for wanting's sake. He needs to stay in this same thought process because it is bringing the best out of him at the moment. And right now, it's like Walcott is saying: 'Take a look at me at centre forward. This is where I really want to play.'"

Walcott has scored 14 goals in all competitions so far this season for Arsenal.